December 16, 2008 - MPR’s Euan Kerr sits down in a café to talk with poet Todd Boss.
December 24, 2008 - MPR's Elizabeth Baier reports on Nochebuena (Spanish for “the Good Night”), a holiday celebrated every December 24th in Spain, Latin countries, and the Philippines.
December 29, 2008 - Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul is celebrating the end of the year on a financial high note.
January 1, 2009 - At the start of the new year, Midday presents some of 2008's most entertaining speeches. In this speech, author and humorist Garrison Keillor talked about poetry, writing and his own relationship with the library at the "Talk of the Stacks" series in November at the Hennepin County Library in downtown Minneapolis.
January 5, 2009 - MPR’s Chris Roberts interviews local folk artist Lucy Michelle. Roberts talks with Michelle about her particular vocal and whistling style. Roberts also interviews producer Mike Wisti and music critic Andrea Swennson about the artist.
January 7, 2009 - Minneapolis writer Dobby Gibson discusses his collection of poetry called "Skirmish." Gibson says it's a reference to the many small battles contained between the covers, including an ongoing battle between himself and his writing.
January 9, 2009 - The new Clint Eastwood movie,"Gran Torino," which opens today in Minnesota, was shot in Detroit. But the heart of the film was born in Minneapolis . The story of an out-of-touch war veteran and his Hmong teen-age neighbors has generated plenty of Oscar buzz. It has also marked a breakthrough for screenwriter and Twin Cities native Nick Schenk. Schenk won a best screenplay award from the National Board of Review, the same honor bestowed last year on former Minnesotan Diablo Cody for the film "Juno." Schenk spoke to Minnesota Public Radio's Laura Yuen about his unusual path to Hollywood.
February 12, 2009 - Interview excerpt with Penumbra Theatre’s Lou Bellamy on the organization’s budget cuts and plan to postpone its final production of the current season until the 2009-2010 season, while preserving its important programs.
February 12, 2009 - The Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul, the largest professional African American theater in the country, announced its trimming budget by almost a quarter and pushing a major production into next year as a result of the economic downturn. Penumbra recently completed a three-million-dollar fundraising campaign. Artistic director Lou Bellamy says the cuts are preventative measures to protect what the company has built in recent years.
February 13, 2009 - In what it calls a proactive move, St Paul's Penumbra Theatre has trimmed it's 3.8-million-dollar budget by almost a quarter.